Written on 8/18/21
Discernment: the ability to judge well
Christian Context - perception is the absence of judgement with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding
To go further... the fundamental definition for Christian discernment is a decision making process in which an individual makes a discovery that can lead to future action. In the process of Christian spiritual discernment God guides the individual to help them arrive at the best decision.
Hosea 4:14 in the last line very clearly and plainly states that People without discernment are doomed.
Hosea is a very interesting book I had the pleasure of reading for the first time when returning from a bachelorette party out of Scottsdale, AZ. If you've read This is the Captain Speaking then you got a little hint of how it started. The heat would suggest it was hell itself, but before I condemn too quickly, the food was out of this world, the people we're generous and genuine, helpful and kind. The cactus may appear sharp, but from personal experience I can say it's nothing more than a poke.
I posted on Facebook much of how I was feeling about the things I witnessed during our justifiable tradition of debauchery. Find my Profile and scroll back to August. At first, I wasn't able to articulate what I was feeling or how to describe the event itself. Never mind the code, what happens at bachelorette weekend - stays at bachelorette weekend. The bride chuckles as we've since seen how well that turned out, haha!
The first night I cried in the middle of a parking lot after having a pole dancing class wearing a shirt that says "Anal Master". Cried? More like eternal meltdown of life itself. Looking back it's a little hysterical given the tie dye biker shorts, but in the moment I had taken the last seventeen years of disgust with myself out in an Uber with a brand new mom.
Awesome.
Although I can't discount the fun memories made after I regrouped and the bond that strengthened our friendships as the weekend continued, I was glad to return to a more peaceful environment that is my home. God lead me to read Hosea right away and I was blown away by it's relevance to our current culture we've so easily established. I had no idea what Hosea was about, what timing.
Promiscuity: characterized by involving indiscriminate mingling or association, especially having sexual relations with a number of partners on a casual basis. Casual, irregular, haphazard
I am FREE to do as I wish, but does that mean I should? Can I discern when my actions go from Casual to Haphazard? To understand this Not So Perfect Christian, I still chose to partake in the games that led to tits out, short skirts, and "generous" hugs from strangers. I guess that's what most of us would deem Casual. There were more fun scenarios offered to our beautiful group, but would've been Haphazard to say the least. We kept it PG-13.
Where's my medal for good behavior!? Right, could've been worse. Believe me, damage was apparent to everyone as we slugged home in the humidity for our drunken behavior. How many know that our Lord God has a sense of humor? Hosea 2:1 expresses, "Let her remove the promiscuous look from her face and her adultery from between her breasts." I read this after of course I let an older gentleman at a biker bar do a body shot off my chest - I eye roll to myself. Hosea 2:2 continues to mention the desert, "and I will let her die of thirst."
The day we traveled home the girls could not funnel enough water to me at breakfast, in the Uber, at the airport, on the plane, all the way home! Parched, dehydrated, melted. You can laugh, it's okay, I did! His word is eternal and super relevant to my world. How does a book written 2,000 - 3,000 years ago literally apply today?!
Maybe because it's true.
What's going on in your life, maybe not promiscuity, but maybe politically? Health conscientiously? Professionally? Spiritually? Intellectually? Where is our DISCERNMENT and is it's side effect Casual or Haphazard? Where can I turn the narrative around and bring BALANCE back to my life? First, I must admit to myself that it was missing to begin with.
Where do we start to implement the CHANGE on an individual level before a union level, before a global level? It starts with one decision. It starts with one. I believe in myself to make good choices. One good choice can lead to a new beginning filled with HOPE.
How Observant People Evolve - Let's hope I evolve!
Photo Taken 8/8/21 at a Golf Course in the middle of Nowhere. I'm only buzz... buzzed.. okay I'm pretty lit and then I twerked on a cactus before going to a biker bar!
I repented already. This crow flies straight now.
Writer's Note Added on 1/28/22:
The old Audrey would've had no issue with that weekend. Thrived, in my element, let's party. If you read my earlier blogs you can see the headspace entering the weekend. God wanted me to wake up and change my behavior. For me, after the fun is over there's always some level of shame left over and I want to change that. The Lord is not a God to condemn. In no way am I condemning myself or any of the other participants of that weekend. I simply want something different for myself and the realization, ah-ha, moment was right there in the desert.
Awkward.
Thank you for including me! Thank you for the memories! Thank you for the growth! And thank you to the cactus?
Final Note: No, I'm not getting married yet. I'm dating Jesus. Thank you.